Washing-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. K. HICKOK.

WASHING MACHINE.

Patented July 19 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1). K. HIOKOK.

WASHING MACHINE.

No. 366,665. Patented July 19, 1887.

W in

am-wwlio'c 61 313 Gum-1 1 wi lmeooeo UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

DEXVEY K. HIOKOK, OF MORRISVILLE, VERMONT.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,665, dated July 19,1887,

Application filed OctobcrQS, 1886. Serial No. 217,158. (No model.)

To all whom, 216 DMI/Z/ concern.-

Be it known that l, DEWEY K. HIOKOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Morrisville, in the county of Lamoille and State of Vermont,have invented new and useful Improvements in YVashingMachincs, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in washingmachines; and it consistsof the peculiar combination and novel construction and arrangement ofthe various parts for service, sn bstantiall y as hereinafter fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of iny invention is to provide the vertically-reciprocatingpounder of a washingmaehine with improved means for assisting theup-and-down strokes thereof, and thereby I very materially aid theoperator and relieve him to a considerable degree of the tiresome laborof operating the machine.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means which canbe readily regulated or adjusted to vary the force exerted thereby uponthe said reciprocating pounder, so that the machine can be adjusted tovary the power of the pounder proportionately to the quantity of fabricsin the receptacle to be operated upon.

A further object is to provide improved means for connecting a wringerwith the receptacle which shall discharge the water wrung from thefabrics thereby into the receptacle, the said wringer-supporting devicesforming an integral part of the receptacle and permitting the cover ofthe receptacle to be detached without removing or affecting the wringer;and, finally, the object of my invention is to provide an improvedpounder with a head which has a series of air-cells which openinto acommon airchamber, and a valve working in the said chamber and servingfor all of the air-cells which open therein, thus dispensing with aseparate valve for each cell, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the drawings hereto annexed, which form a part of this specification,and which illustrate a washing-machine embodying my improvements, Figurel is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is avertical central sectional view on the line a" x of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetached view of the head of the pounder, showing the operatingrodthereof in section and with one of the covers of the air-chamberremoved. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through aportion of the operating-rod of the plunger, and Figs. 6 and 7 aredetached perspective views of parts of my improvements.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denotecorresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the tub or receptacle of my improved washing-machine, which is preferably madesubstantially cylindrical in form and with a closed bottom, as shown.The upper end of the tub or receptacle is left open and provided with anannular flange, a, and on this flange rests a cover, B, which fitswithin the upper edge of the receptacle and lies flush therewith.

The cover '13 is made of three or more see tions, 1), b, and b,- and thesectionb thereof is face of the fixed section b of the cover, the

staves at one side of the tub being extended only as at 0, therebyforming a ridge orflange integral with the receptacle. The ends of thisflange or ridge terminate at or near the ends of the fixed section ofthe cover, and it is arranged eoncentric with the outer curved edge ofthe section b. A wringer, O, of any approved or preferred pattern,isdetachably connected to the extended ends of the staves or the flange bythe usual clamps or other devices, as will readily be seen by referenceto Fig. 1. The fixed section Z: of the cover is further provided withtransverse battens c, which are rigidly affixed thereto; and thesebattens are arranged parallel with each other and form an inclosed spacewith the ridge or ledge c, to prevent the escape of water which fallsupon the section b from the wringer, the rear edge of the section I)being left free, so that the water on the section can escape freelytherefrom and fall into the receptacle or tub, as will be very readilyunderstood. \Vhen it is desired to use the wringer, the sections 2) b ofthe cover and the plunger arc removed so that the fabrics can be readilyremoved :from the tub and the water will fall back into the same, andthe rear ends of the battens c are extended beyond the straight-edgesection b of the cover a sufficient distance to adapt the battens to fitor lie over the edge of the section b contiguous .to the straight edgeof the fixed section b of the cover, so that the cover is fitted tightlyin place, this extended end of the battens being lettered 0*. (See Figs.1, 2, and 3.) I

The sections 7) and b of the cover are hinged together at theircontiguous edges, as shown, and the central and side sections, 1) b, ofthe cover are thus connected together, so that they can be detached orremoved from the receptacle simultaneously. When the cover is fitted inplace, the central section, 1), thereof is held from displacement by theextended ends 0 of the battens 0' bearing thereon, and the hingedsection If of the cover can be raised or elevated, as shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 3, without removing the section b or displacing thesame, to permit the operator to inspect the contents of the receptacleor tub with ease and facility and while the operation of washing isbeing performed.

D designates a bracket or frame, which is arranged in a verticalposition and is rigidly affixed to the central section, b,.of the cover.This frame comprises the diverging standards d, which are inclinedwit-l1 relation to each other, and the horizontal connectingpiece d, atthe upper terminal ends of the inclined standards, the whole being castor otherwise formed in a single piece of metal. The inner opposing sidesof the inclined standards are provided with integral strengthening-ribsd", which give the standards a T form in crosssection, and the lowerends of the standards have angular horizontal feet, (1", through whichare passed the screws or other devices to rigidly fasten the frame tothe central section, b, of the cover.

' The central section of the cover is provided with an opening, 0, andthe horizontal connecting-picce d of the frame has a similar opening, 0,which aligns with the openingcof the cover, and through these alignedopenings pass a vertically-movableoperating-rod, e", of a reciprocatingplunger E, which operates in the tub or receptacle A to properly actupon the fabrics therein. This plunger E comprises a head, E, which isarranged in a horizontal position, and the head has a central opening,through which is passed the lower end of the operating-rod e, which hasa transverse opening in its lower end, through which a pin or key ispassed to 'detacha'bly connect the head and operating-rod of the plungertogether. The head has two air-- chambers, F, which are arranged on itsupper side and on opposite sides of the operating-rod 6'' thereof, andthese chambers'are provided with removable covers f, which are. securelyand firmly fastened thereto by screws or other suitable means. The coveris provided with a series of two orinore vertical gnide-pins,f,

on its under side, which depend therefrom into the air-chamber, and thelower ends of the depending guide-pins have enlarged heads, which serveto limit the downward movement of the valve G, which works on the saidguide-pins.

of thehead of the plunger, and are rigidly" connected or fastenedthereto, so that they will properly act upon the fabrics in thereceptacle or tub. A series of these air cells or cups G is provided foreach of the air-chambers F, preferably five cells to a single chamber,although the number can be varied without departing from the principleof my invention. or cups are left open, as is usual, to adapt them toproperly act upon the fabrics, and at their upper ends they are providedwith short tubular nozzles g, which pass through suitable openings inthe head and communicate with the air-chambers F therein, these nozzlesbeing rigidly secured in the head by any preferable means to firmlyconnect the air-cells thereto; It will be seen that I provide a singleair-chamber to a series of cells or cups which all open into the samechamber, and a single valve to the series of cups or cells, which is 10-erating-rodof the reciprocating plunger, and

against the lower end of this sleeve bears a The lower under sides ofthe air cells IOO .cated and guided in the air-chamber; and to IIOwasher or plate, h, which projects at its edges beyond the periphery ofthe sleeve, and to this washer is secured the lower end of a coiledretracting-spring, I, which -also encircles the operating'rod and thesleeve or thimblethereon. The upper end of the said coiled spring issecured or connected to the fixed vertical frame D of the machine, andthe spring draws upon the washer, so that it is normally held in contactwith the lower end of the sleeve or thimble H on the operating-rod ofthe plum gcr; and as the sleeve is rigidly fastened or connected to theoperating-rod by the means which I will presently describe, the plungeris also elevated, so that it is in condition to be depressed by thepressure of the hand on the operating-rod.

The sleeve or thimble is downward stroke of the plunger.

tically on the rod by merely releasing the binding-screw and then movingthe sleeve in the required direction, after which the bindingscrew isagain tightened to hold the sleeve at its desired elevation. Vhen thesleeve or thimble is lowered on the operating-rod, it depresses thewasher which bears against the lower side or end thereof, and therebydistends the spring to increase the power or tension thereof; and whenthe sleeve is elevated on the rod the spring draws upon and elevates thewasher,and the tension of the spring is thereby weakened or decreased,as will be very readily understood.

J designatesa weight which is fitted on the upper end of theoperating-rod of the plunger, in order to assist the downward movementor stroke of the same. A series of two or more of these weights ofdifferent heaviness are employed, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, sothat the pressure exerted by the weight on the plunger can be varied bythe employment of one, two, or more, as is necessary.

The weights are made tubular in form, and they are fitted loosely on theupper end ofthe opcratingrod, and the vertical displacement of theweights in a downward direction is prevented by means ofa fixedstop-pin, j, which is fastened in the operating-rod c at a suitablepoint, as shown.

The upper end of the operating-rod is provided with an inclined handle,K, which is passed therethrough and rigidly fixed or sccured in place,and the upper end of the said handle is provided with a knob, 7.1, whichis to be grasped by the hand of the operator in order to rotate theoperating-rod and plunger and thereby impart a horizontal rotarymovement to the head in addition to its vertical pounding movement, inorder to more thoroughly stir up the fabrics in the receptacle andpresent new surfaces for the action of the plunger. It will be seen thatthe spring is not fastened directly to the operating-rod of the plunger,but that the sleeve or thimble will rotate freely in the coiled springwhen the rod is turned, and the rod itself will turn freely in thewasher or ring to which the spring is connected.

The operating rod can be rotated very freely without hindrance from thespring and the devices connecting the same to the rod, and the-rod thushas a compound movementa vertical reciprocating one, and a horizontalrotary movemcntwhich can take placesi multaneously or independently, asdesired.

This being the construction of my improved washinganachine, theoperation thereof is as follows: The sleeve or thinible is adjusted tothe desired point on the operating-rod to attain the proper tension ofthe coiled spring, and the weight or weights J placed on the upper endof the operating-rod to assist the The spring is of sufficient strengthto elevate the plunger to the upper portion of the receptacle or tub andagainst the action of the weights J on the operatingrod of the plunger.The fabrics are now placed in the receptacle,together with asnitable qnanti ty of watcr,th rough the cover, the section b of which is openedwitlrout disturbing the other parts of the apparatus, and theoperating-rod is grasped and downward pressure applied thereto. Theplunger is depressed against the action of the coiled spring, so thatthe air cells or cups of the plunger are brought into contact with thefabrics in the receptacle, thereby forcing the water in the re ceptacleor tub up into the air-cells and close the valves in the air-chambers,which causes the air that fills the cups and chambers to becomecompressed, during which process it is commiugled or mixed wit-h thewater, which materially assists in cleansing the fabrics. The downwardpressure of the hand on the operating rod is released at the terminationof the downward stroke of the plunger, and the spring elevates or aidsin elevating the plunger to the upper part of the receptacle, andthereby withdraws the cups or cells of the plunger from the fabrics,andthe (low nward pressure is again applied to the rod to depress theplunger again, thereby reciprocating the plunger vertically. The plungercan be rotated at the termination of or during the downstroke of theplunger, so as to act on the fabrics and thereby stir them, so as topresent new surfaces of the fabrics for the action of the plunger.

My improved washing-machine is very simple and durable in construction,easy and reliable in operation, and comparatively cheap of manufacture.

I do not desire to confine myself to the exact details of constructionor form and proportion of parts herein shown and described as anembodiment of my invention, as I am aware that changes therein can bemade without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a washing'machine, thecombination of a receptacle, a fixed guide-frame, a plungcr havinganoperating-rod passing through the guide-frame, a sleeve fixed to theoperatingrod, and a spring connected to the guide frame and looselyconnected with the sleeve through an intermediate device, substantiallyas described, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a washing-machine, the combination of a receptacle, a fixedguide-frame, a plunger operating in the receptacle, and having a rodpassing freely through the guide-frame, so as to be capable of rotarymotion therein in addition to an endwise movement, a sleeve rigidlyaffixed to the rod, a spring encircling the sleeve and rod and connectedto the frame, and a washer bearing against the sleeve and connected tothe spring, substantially as described.

. 3. In a plunger for washing-machines, the combination of a head havingthe separate air-chambers, each provided with a ren1ov- IIO able eever,the depending 'enps having the hol- In testimony that I claim the Iforegoing as low nozzles fixed in the head and opening into my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in the air-chambers, the headedgnide-pins sepresence of two witnesses. I

cured t0 the removable covers of the air-charn- DEWEY K. HIOKOK. 5 hers,and the valves working over the guide- WVitnesses:

pins and limited in their downward movement M. P. OALLAN,

by the heads, as and for the purpose described. WM. N. MOORE.

